Medical research and publications are not only important for scientific development but also vital for the professional advancement and individual academic progress. Ranking is extremely important for appointments and leadership roles. Authorship is central to the credit and responsibility in medical research and appropriate assignment of authorship carries ethical, legal as well as intellectual implications. Despite being globally established for many years, deviation from the “International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)” criteria for authorship is still seen in varying orders of magnitude and in different shapes and forms. In this communication, we revisit the latest ICMJE criteria for authorship, highlight the increasingly recognized forms of potential of authorship misconduct (intentional or unintentional) and reflect on some emerging concepts and practices in authorship attribution. The target readers are primarily young and aspiring researchers who may err due to lack of experience but also veterans who may turn complacent for political reasons.

The frequency of conflicts about the authorship of publications has increased along with the increase in the number of people involved in scientific work and its complexity. Some of the factors that strongly influence the generation of conflicts and disputes in authorship definition are the pressure of competition in academia, economic incentives from the pharmaceutical industry in the field of biomedicine, and authors own wishes and expectations of recognition. It is necessary to have clear policies and apply more transparency to these activities. There are clear recommendations from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors on authorships for medical articles. However, authorship disputes are still seen too often with a wide spectrum of reasons. These may reflect ignorance and errors of judgment on one end to intentional misconduct? In this article, we (1) revisit the international guidelines, (2) present and discuss illustrative examples of authorship disputes, and (3) explore possible solutions for authors and editors to avoid and resolve this problem. Solutions stem from the ethical imperative in clinical research, clear rules of engagement among research/authorship teams, and effective governance within research institutions.

Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcer and amputation are associated with an increased incidence of morbidity and mortality. Diabetic foot ulcer can be prevented by screening for risk factors and proper interventions. Objectives: We aimed to determine the risk of diabetic foot ulcer and amputation among patients with type 2 diabetes at Benghazi Medical Center diabetic clinic. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study of diabetic foot status and risk factors in diabetic patients attending a specialist diabetes clinic in Benghazi, Libya. Results: Eighty-seven (84.5%) patients wear inappropriate shoes, 37 (35.9%) had Tinea pedis, 26 (25.2%) had foot deformity, 13 (12.6%) patients had bilateral hallux valgus deformity, 8 (7.8%) patients had clawing of feet, 2 (1.9%) patients had Charcot joint, and one patient (0.97%) had amputated toes. Dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries pulsations were not palpable in six (5.8%) patients, there was a loss of protective sensation among 20 (19.4%) patients, vibration sense was absent in 15 (14.6%) patients, and joint position sense was lost in five (4.9%) patients. According to Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network system, 59 (57.3%) patients were in the low-risk category, 18 (17.5%) were in the moderate-risk, 22 (21.4%) were in the high-risk, and 4 (3.9%) were in the active disease categories. Conclusions: We conclude that the prevalence of diabetic foot risk factors is high among the studied group.

Introduction: Laryngeal carcinoma is the most common malignant head-and-neck tumor. Due to the low survival rate and the inadequate response to chemotherapy, effective therapy remains a challenge. Objectives: Therefore, the identification of new therapeutic options that preserve the larynx is needed. Hesperidin (Hsp) is a nontoxic plant flavanone that has proven effective against cancer. Materials and Methods: Hence, the current in vivo and in vitro study was conducted to determine whether Hsp might suppress metastasis of cancer larynx. Results: In an in vivo mouse metastasis model, Hsp suppressed metastasis of human Hep2 laryngeal cancer cells to the livers and lungs. In vitro assays, Hsp significantly inhibited angiopoietin 1 secretion (an angiogenic promotor) and increased annexin-V (an apoptotic indicator) in Hep2 cell culture at relatively low levels (10 μM). Conclusions: These studies suggest that Hsp deserves further investigation as a possible treatment option for laryngeal cancer.

Background: According to the World Health Organization, Vitamin A deficiency can cause immune system depression in about 130 million preschool children and 7 million pregnant women mostly in developing countries and cause mortality risk up to 20%–30%. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of parents in Benghazi regarding the Vitamin A campaign. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 1390 parents attending maternal and child health clinics and pediatric clinics at six main polyclinics, in Benghazi in April and May 2018. Results: Most of the parents were younger than 40 years (71%). Mothers constitute 68% of the study population and 52% of the children were male. Half of the parents had higher education. Only 40% of the parents were having good knowledge about the benefits and food sources of Vitamin A. The coverage rate of Vitamin A supplementation among under-five children in the study was 66%. The main reason for not giving their children Vitamin A supplementation in this study was the lack of awareness of the campaign during the previous year. However, 88% of the interviewed parents had a positive attitude of regiving Vitamin A to their children in the next campaign. Conclusions: The overall knowledge level of Vitamin A among the parents was relatively low; hence, more efforts are needed to promote awareness about Vitamin A supplementation.

Acute abdomen, especially in psychiatric patients, can result from bizarre causes such as bezoars. This unique case report intends to shed light on a rare type of bezoars with an unusual presentation. A 30-year-old schizophrenic male, who is in denial of his mental condition and having mystical believes instead, presented with acute abdomen. Workups revealed vast amounts of foreign bodies within dilated intestines. Exploratory laparotomy was done extracting about 2 kg of nylon-wrapped foreign bodies which caused distention with multiple perforations to both cecum and sigmoid colon. Interestingly, the foreign materials were either ingested or introduced rectally. Although bezoars are not a common finding nowadays. They should still be considered as a potential cause of acute abdomen in psychiatric and some nonpsychiatric patients alike, especially in countries, where mental illness can easily be disguised as mystical beliefs.